Mozez - Wings (2015)

Mozez, real name Osmond Wright, first came to musical prominence in the early noughties, when he contributed vocal’s to duo Zero 7’s first two albums, Simple Things (2001) and When It Falls (2004). Despite positive reviews of his last release, 2006’s So Still, Mozez has since slipped under the radar. Wings – an album that has been nine years in the making to some – is all about optimism, even in the wake of hardship.

The opening title track ‘Wings’ was released as the first single from the album in August, although it has been available to listen to on Youtube since 2012, and has hit more than 1.6m views. It eases you into the album in a relaxed manner, followed by ‘Hannah’ – with a soothing drum beat, it is soft soul track, lightly infused with jazz. Mozez’s vocals hit the high notes with ease, with the song being probably one of the catchiest on the record.

Two highlights on the album are ‘Run River’ and ‘A Place Called Home’. It’s impossible not to dance to the former’s irresistibly funky groove while the latter sees Mozez display his versatile vocal talent over an uptempo piano and clapping rhythm. If Sam Smith shifted slightly further from pop to soul, this is perhaps what he would sound like.

In fact, aside from soul, it is rather hard to categorise Mozez into a genre. However, ‘The Signs of Happiness’ verges on trip-hop, with a guitar driving it forward, plus electronic components over a slow drum beat. Similarly, ‘Coloured Dreams’ combines a pleasant blend of authentic and electronic layers. You can’t help but feel relaxed with Mozez’s calming vocals crooning lines such as “here comes the sun”.

Having been out of the game for almost a decade, it may perhaps prove tough to break into the industry again, given how much it has changed and developed. However, Mozez has a rare, soulful talent – he is able to execute lyrics with power but also knows when to show restraint with his voice. The result with Wings is a chill-out record that is perfect for ‘lazy Sunday’ listening.

TRACKLIST

01. Wings (4:11)
02. Hannah (4:43)
03. Broken Toy (4:13)
04. Run River (4:25)
05. A Place Called Home (3:18)
06. The Absolute (3:39)
07. Signs of Happiness (4:30)
08. Coloured Dreams (4:11)
09. Philia (4:28)
10. Be Like Water (4:36)
11. Planets (4:17)
12. Mirror Mirror (5:33)